Love Simply
by zenhir
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto wanted to get through private school without getting noticed. Its just too bad Syaoran Li, the Tomoeda sweetheart, comes along one day and ruins that perfect ideal. Does she fall in love? Sure, if only it could be that simple.
1. Invisible

I disclaim Card Captor Sakura. I disclaim part of plot that belongs to PREP.  
A short idea that may be continued. Something that was on my mind for a long time.  
Summary. Sakura wanted to get through private school without getting noticed. Its too bad Syaoran comes along one day and ruins that ideal.  
Does she fall in love? If only it could be that simple.

**Love Simply**  
Chapter One  
_Invisible_

Syaoran Li was the most beautiful man in Tomoeda High. Beautiful was a word to usually describe an elegant dancer or an exotic painting perhaps. But it was just the word to portray Syaoran Li. He was smart, witty, funny, athletic, and by all means the most handsome boy ever created to walk the hallways of this private boarding school. He was the freshman who had the hearts of all the females on board and the friendship of every guy he cared to talk to. Everyone desperately wanted his attention, not that everyone publicly showed it. But it was a sure thing that at some point in a student's Tomoeda High experience they have written "Missus 'insert first name' Li" in their private diaries. And perhaps even some "Mister 'insert male name' Li" as well.

Of course a guy of his status was sure to wind up with a classy girlfriend the moment he set foot at this prestigious school. And it was a fact that he had recently started dating a senior girl by the name of Keriko Makao a month in to first semester. A piece of information that was always the center of every gossip circle and whatever one could cram in to the school newspaper under the teacher's noses.

So it was no wonder that Sakura's roommate should have a heart wrenching crush on him, girlfriend or not included. This was why Sakura knew so much of this boy even though she's never met him personally. It was because her roommate would not ever stop talking about him. It was always "Oh, Syaoran looked so cute today with that white polo shirt today, too bad he got in trouble for…" or "Wasn't he hot playing soccer today? Can you believe that he's in varsity and he's only a freshman?" and even "I heard he was wearing red boxers today, some girl told me about it during…" But most of the time it was about how absolutely horrid it was for him to go out with that "snobby stuck up senior…she hardly knows him…what does he see in her anyways?"

Sakura already knew he was in varsity. She already knew about how stuck up Keriko was. And she wondered why her roommate even bothered talking to her about it for the hundredth time anyways. She hardly paid attention to what she was saying. It's not like she was part of her roommate's social circle. If only she could just tell her roommate that she wasn't interested in what Syaoran was wearing that certain day or the details on how absolutely bitchy Keriko could be. All she wanted was to study for the bio test tomorrow, and she wanted to do it alone.

"…Kinoomotoo? Are you listening or not?"

Speak of the devil. Sakura poked her nose an inch out of her enormous text book, "Yes Meiling? You were saying how cute he looked wearing um…an orange track jacket?"

"No, yuck! _Orange?_" She sniffed at her reflection and patted down her long black hair with one hand, "Anyways…I wasn't talking about Syaoran, I'm going to Central today to get my nails done by a professional. What are you going to do today?"

Sakura was about to feign shock from her almost sincere question of curiosity when Meiling opened her mouth again, "What am I saying, you're probably going on a date with your bio book today, am I right?"

Sakura felt herself once again backed up in corner by her roommate's lack of understanding. Meiling knew she didn't have many friends, and she'd mention it to her every time she had the chance. It was mostly because Sakura was in Tomoeda with a scholarship alone. Her family would never be able to afford such a luxurious school like the rest of the students. For instance today was a Sunday which meant no school. Most everyone had left for Central, the city nearby to go shopping or partying. Only a few people stuck around Tomoeda on Sundays. Half of them were finding places to make out anyways. That left about one percent of the entire student population in their dorms studying for a bio test.

Sakura bit down on her tongue, "No, I'm going out." She didn't quite understand why she was lying; maybe she was finally crumbling under the pressure of constant insults.

Meiling turned around and stared at her, "Really? Wow, I can't believe Kinomoto is actually human, are you going to Central?"

"No…I'm going to the…the café downtown…" She said easily, her book now placed shut on her lap.

Her roommate turned again to face the mirror, "Oh…well, have fun sweetheart, I'll see you before curfew." Meiling gave her a wink and left the room. Sakura knew what the wink meant. It meant she had to stay up after eleven to unlock the window for the girl to sneak back in. Meiling never came back before curfew.

* * *

The café was a small run down store at the corner of an even more rundown street. Sakura had to take the bus there. It was five in the afternoon when she arrived so the air was quite cool. She realized that she might as well wander downtown to make up for her lie; it did make her feel slightly better. Her bio book was tucked in her bag. The bell jingled when she pushed the door open. The bartender didn't even look up as she found an empty seat among old business men to sit down. The room smelled of old leather and fresh cocoa beans. For some reason the mixture of the two made her want to throw up.

She daintily placed her bio book on the table and almost immediately made herself invisible. She had become rather good at it since she had entered Tomoeda High. Knowing that most of the kids there weren't on scholarship like she was and that they all had rich parents and wealth beyond her imagination it became obvious she wouldn't fit in very well. So she made herself invisible. She was nothing but the background. And it worked. Nobody came to talk to her, so she didn't talk to anyone else. Except for Meiling, who would never talk to her in public. Only in the privacy of their dorms would they share a simple and usually insulting conversation. But because of her ability to become unnoticeable she knew everyone at the small private school fairly well through things she'd overhear. For instance she knew that the small mousy haired girl in her bio class named Rika had divorced parents and a pet hamster she kept secretly in her closet. She knew a girl named Daidouji had a single parent who was the president of a very famous fashion company. She knew a boy named Hiirigizawa who didn't have any parents but owned an enormous mansion where he used to live by himself. She also knew he was the class president and quite popular thought not as popular as Syaoran Li. A noise startled Sakura from her seat. It was the door, and it was a shock to see none other than Syaoran Li stroll in.

Sakura watched the boy walk to the counter and there was this sense of nervousness that crept inside her gut that someone else from Tomoeda had just entered her private space. And not just someone else, this was Syaoran Li. But what was wrenching around inside her was how it seemed positively delightful that Meiling wasn't here to see that he was wandering around _alone. _

He must've noticed someone was watching because he froze and looked about as if he was searching for something. Sakura quickly stared at her book, seemingly engrossed in the anatomy of fruit fly. It hadn't at first seemed possible that such a perfect man could possibly exist, but she had just seen him and she would've believed it. He was very tall, too tall to be like the other freshmen. Brown messy hair that gave an impression he didn't need to have nice hair to impress girls. He was wearing a simple dark blue shirt and jeans as if he was just taking an easy stroll. But it seemed so unreal that Sakura was in the presence of such an idolized figure. She had always imagined him in collared white shirts and khaki pants with combed hair. Sakura felt for the first time in her life if she had dressed appropriately enough and self consciously felt too plain for him even if he was all the way across the room.

He hadn't seen her but she had felt his eyes graze the back of her neck once. Maybe she was imagining things, maybe he wasn't really there. She was too scared to look back and check. Her fingers trembled and her throat gagged. There was just something wrong with her. It was as if she could scarcely breathe, the air was suffocating. Maybe it was the smell of leather and cheap coffee. She reached in to her bag for a tissue but realized she had left them in her dorm. Sakura wanted to leave the room and get some fresh air but didn't want to give Syaoran a chance to catch notice of her. Maybe he'd talk to her, maybe he'd ignore her. The possibilities were terrifying so she sat stuck to her chair and held a shaking book in her hands. Then the waiter approached the table. He was a fat man with a greasy beard. It was revolting to see there were crumbs stuck in the wiry tangle of hair. And when he spoke Sakura could smell stale pizza. She realized she was hot and had broken a sweat doing nothing. Her face was flushed. She was panting for clean air. The man was speaking but she couldn't hear him. The world flipped upside down and then she was numb.

* * *

"Hey, I think she's awake now," A voice echoed in her air, "Yeah, cold water, _cold, _not hot, thanks."

She felt something soft brush by her forehead and her vision cleared. Syaoran was hovering above her with a glass of water. He looked completely calm, not one bit of concern on his face. Sakura rushed to sit up from the dirty café floor but he pushed her back down with one hand.

"You need to lie down for a couple minutes okay? You just fainted." He said casually as if it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Sakura felt horrible. She had just passed out in front of Syaoran Li and he had seen it all. What did he think of her now?

"Did you eat breakfast today?"

Sakura realized he was asking her a question but couldn't find the words to answer. _Yes, I had a bagel and a cup of milk. _Nothing escaped her dry lips.

"Hey! Do you have anything to eat here?" He asked what must've been the store manager.

"Of course! This is a damn coffee shop, what do you want?"

"Anything, something small, a piece of bread…something like that."

Sakura lifted a hand to protest, "No, it's okay really, I had breakfast."

"How many fingers am I holding up?" He said suddenly.

Sakura squinted at them for about two seconds because she was still adjusting to her sight and answered, "Three."

"Very good, I've always wanted to do that, actually."

If Sakura hadn't been feeling quite well, she would've attempted a light chuckle.

"Are you sick?" He asked, and put a palm over her forehead. His hand was nice and warm, "Nope, no fever, how are you feeling? I still think you should eat something."

Sakura made another attempt to get up and he didn't stop her, "I'm okay…really I am…sorry for troubling you…"

"No worries, but you should really stay inside in someplace cool maybe, this place broke its air conditioning a while ago don't you know?"

She wanted to say she did know, and that she was perfectly fine, but instead she just stared at him as if he was from a foreign planet.

Syaoran shrugged, "Anyways, if you say you're okay, I'm Li Syaoran, by the way."

_I know, _Sakura thought. _I know exactly who you are. _But she didn't want to seem as if she had been stalking him. _It's Meiling whose been stalking you. _She protested to herself.

"Nice to meet you…" Sakura hesitated; _he must not know that I go to Tomoeda_, "I'm Kinomoto Sakura."

But he was already focusing his attention elsewhere. Sakura felt as if she was boring him. As if having her pass out was probably the most exciting thing she had even done. And now since she was fine, he would discard her away as part of the scenery again. Sakura felt slightly disappointed.

"Okay Kinomoto, I know a place not far from here, and its outside so I don't think you'll go and pass out on me again, how about we head there?"

Sakura was staring at him again as if he had uttered incomprehensible words.

"It's okay r-really…I'm fine…you don't have to – "

"You don't want to come?"

Sakura flushed, "I…don't want to bother you…"

He let out a small laugh. It was a very simple carefree laugh and it sounded so kind to Sakura's ears. No boy had ever laughed like Syaoran did, at least not to her.

"Don't be a fool," It wasn't an insult, she knew it, but even so, she felt as if the words they were exchanging was something like old friends would do. And that's when she would've given the world for someone to walk by the café window at the corner of a rundown street to see her talking with Syaoran Li. What would they say? "Did you hear? Syaoran was talking to some nobody…like actually _talking _to her!" Her life would probably never be the same. She'd never be able to become invisible anymore. She'd be labeled the freshman girl who had conversed with Syaoran Li one Sunday while he was alone when he was supposed to be going out with Keriko Makao.

"You coming or not?" He said suddenly, snapping Sakura to reality. He had beautiful eyes. They showed no emotion and yet they were still so full of mystery and feeling.

"Yes, I'm coming, let me just get my bag…" When Sakura grabbed her bag she realized her fingers were numb and she didn't mind one bit. All that was on her mind was that she was going to be outside with Syaoran Li. Nothing Meiling could do that day could possibly ruin it for her.

It didn't take long to reach the place Syaoran had been describing. Sakura was surprised to find that it was already pretty dark out. It was a quaint small bake shop about two blocks down. The sat across from each other, Sakura felt very stiff and nervous. He seemed more interested at his surroundings then the girl in front of him, which made Sakura realize this was nothing more than an action of pity then really anything else. She was blind to think he had feelings for her.

"So…" He said. She was staring at her hands when he spoke and snapped her head up to look at him. She couldn't find the will power to smile. He wasn't smiling either, but she felt she could at least…express some facial expression to show she was happy.

"Thank you!" Sakura blurted out loud.

He looked taken aback.

"I mean…" Sakura said, suddenly quiet and meek, "for…taking care of me…"

He gave a small shrug and looked around uncomfortably. Sakura wondered if she had said something wrong but her throat had closed off to any more unnecessary commentary.

"So…are you a freshman too?"

Sakura was so surprised that she gaped at him. He had known? He knew she went to Tomoeda? A small flutter of hope shined down on her. So he had probably seen her before, noticed her even.

"Is there something on my face?" He said, and chuckled at his own joke. Sakura willed herself to look away. She loved it when he laughed but she felt as if she was becoming part of society. She was becoming one of his adoring fans.

"Yes, I'm a freshman."

"Alright! And I had thought no one our age hung around downtown anymore, nowadays everyone storms Central. I'm a freshman too by the way."

Sakura forced herself to nod. It seemed downright weird hearing him introduce himself as if he was actually clueless to the fact the entire school knew his name.

"But the air here isn't that great, it's because of the old factory, it's been cleared out but there's still waste and it stinks up the neighborhood."

Sakura knew that of course, everyone knew that, but she nodded anyways and pretended to fake interest.

"What are you doing down here anyways? By yourself I mean."

"Studying," Sakura said, and held up her book for emphasis.

"Can't you do that in the dorms? It's actually much nicer than we take for granted, though sometimes it's like a freaking prison there."

His comment didn't really need an answer, so Sakura simply stared at her hands again. And once again she felt absurdly plain.

"Why are you here by yourself?" Sakura said before she realized it, "Without Keriko that is."

"Keriko? Gods, you know about that too?"

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize for it," He sounded angry.

"Sorry." Sakura said before she could stop herself.

He sighed dejectedly as if he had given up on something, "Why does everyone think that I have to go everywhere with her anyways?"

"You don't like her?" Sakura asked on impulse.

"She's just so hard to manage …" He said, "But it's only because everyone makes it harder. With such a small school, nothing ever escapes anyone's radar. I mean…she cares so much about her appearance and she's so paranoid about everything that could ruin her day, did you know she reads her horoscope at least twice a day, its like, give it a break will you?"

Sakura nodded her head again. It felt so personal and strange hearing this coming from Syaoran's mouth that she couldn't find anything to say.

"Do you want to go to the arcade?"

"Arcade?" It was a sudden change of topic.

"Yes, I told a friend of mine I'd meet him there."

Sakura looked at him; suddenly, she wanted him to go away, "Then you should go meet him."

His eyes flickered across her, "But you'd be all by yourself, there's nobody else here to talk to."

Sakura tucked the book in her bag, "I really don't want to bother you and your friend –" What she really wanted was for him to disappear, so she wouldn't have this nervous butterfly in her gut anymore. So she could pretend she had imagined the entire thing. So she could go back to being plain and boring.

"Look Kinomoto, it's alright, okay? Stop acting like you want to be alone all the time."

The last comment stung Sakura in her chest. It was as if he had seen straight through her.

"Alright…I'll go."

He didn't say another word.

It turned out the boy he was going to meet was none other then the Hirrigizawa boy who owned his own mansion that Sakura knew. Or knew as in, she noticed him. Apparently they were good friends, because the first thing they did was punch each other in the shoulder. Sakura stood timidly by, she felt like such an intruder on Syaoran Li's personal life. It wasn't supposed to be her standing there; it was supposed to be Keriko or even Meiling.

"Hello Kinomoto," Hirrigaizawa Eriol said with a wink, "Funny running in to you here with Syaoran."

Sakura decided she half liked and disliked Eriol from the moment they met. She liked him because he knew her name, and didn't because well…she wasn't exactly sure what his intentions were by mentioning Syaoran's name. And there was also that fact that he was their class president. He must be pretty popular to get so many votes. Sakura felt herself shrinking standing by both Eriol and Syaoran.

"Cut it out Eriol, I met her at the old café, it wasn't anything planned."

Sakura felt unusually insulted. It was as if Syaoran was excusing himself from being seen with someone like her.

"Doesn't matter now, Keriko's going to pissed knowing you're spending a Sunday here with me then with her and the gorgeous beauty of the mall."

"Shut up."

"Kinomoto, are you friends with Keriko?"

Half of Sakura wanted to blurt out _are you crazy? _But it came out more like, "Sure I am, we're best buddies!"

Syaoran froze like a statue. Eriol stared at her. Sakura realized they didn't catch her sarcasm.

"I mean, I send her about ten emails a day about how Pisces is going to ruin our vacation if we don't make sure our make up's perfect at least ten times a day!"

Syaoran clapped the back of Sakura's head with his palm. It was almost a gesture of affection if it didn't actually hurt somewhat, "You stupid idiot, you are just full of it aren't you?" He was smiling.

Sakura rubbed the back of her head and made a mock expression of pain, "You shouldn't hit girls."

"You should make him kiss your boo boo," Eriol remarked and ducked at Syaoran's swing.

"Forget it, you're not worth my time," The two laughed. Sakura felt the corners of her mouth twitch. If Meiling could see her now. She'd probably be shocked speechless.

An hour or two slipped by and Eriol left, saying something about an early start so he could catch Daidouji in the library. Once again, Sakura felt somewhat separated from reality. What was she doing? She should be studying for biology. But she was afraid if she said one wrong thing, Syaoran Li would become just a figment of imagination and she'd wake up from a dream. She shut her eyes. Then she opened them again. Nope, he was still there. So she wasn't dreaming.

Syaoran suddenly started and he flipped his wrist up to his face, "Crap, it's late."

Sakura panicked, "Late? How late?"

"Eleven fifteen," He read and stood up. Sakura followed.

"_Eleven fifteen? _Oh god, that's passed curfew!"

"Hey! Relax okay!" He grabbed her shoulders and she froze. He was touching her. If they hadn't been under the dim street light, she would've sworn he'd see her turn red, "We won't get in trouble, I do this all the time." His hands slipped from her shoulders and brushed past her elbows almost longingly but she could've imagined it.

Something about the way he so casually remarked that made herself feel completely innocent. As if it was entirely not her fault. She took a deep breath, "We can take the bus."

"Excellent idea!" He said. And Sakura basked in his joking praise. They walked to the station. He strolled in front and Sakura behind him by a step or two. It was as if nothing had changed since the last couple hours. Sakura wondered when they got back to school if he'd ever speak to her again. Unlikely, she thought. This was probably the last time she'd ever speak to him. She felt sick again when they reached the bus. Syaoran walked in first and Sakura realized as soon as she saw the driver that she didn't have any money with her.

"I'm sorry! I can bring you money as soon as – "

"Don't sweat it sug, your boyfriend paid."

It didn't make sense to her, "boyfriend?"

Syaoran had reached for her wrist and gently pulled her down to a seat. The bus wasn't crowded but the strangers that cluttered the aisles had always scared Sakura.

"Hey Kinomoto, you room with um..."

"Meiling," she answered. It felt as if they were exchanging a private conversation.

"Right, my dear cousin, how is she?"

Sakura paled, "Cousin?"

Syaoran looked at her as if she was a joke, "C'mon, you didn't know that? Almost everyone knows that."

Meiling had failed to mention that piece of information to her. Even when she had been describing how close she was to Syaoran, Sakura would never have guessed they were related. It seemed Meiling didn't wish to share it with her. Which was understanding but still shocking.

"No, she never told me."

"Really," Syaoran said with an amused expression now, "It must be quite a problem to room with her; she's been like that forever you know."

"Nope, she's no problem at all," Sakura said with such an honest expression that they both laughed. Sakura felt his hand fall over hers and she let it rest there. It was almost natural if only there wasn't that lingering confusion that Syaoran was someone else's. She could scarcely believe this was happening to her of all people. It was her Syaoran had chosen to be with. Not Meiling, not Keroko, but Sakura.

"You have beautiful eyes," He said suddenly. Sakura held in a small breath. She had heard it before, but it was so different when he had said it, intimate almost. It was a kind of compliment you couldn't give out to everyone. It wasn't like she was wearing perfume and he had complimented on how she smelled nice. She exhaled gently. It was like breathing in a fairy tale. She wished the bus trip would last forever. But it ended sooner than she thought it would.

"Tomoeda!" The driver called. It sounded depressingly like the words "the end" in a book perhaps. Syaoran waited for her to slide out of her seat before following her down the stairs. He seemed oblivious to the thoughts racing across her head.

"Well, my dorms are that way," He said. Sakura already knew that. Meiling had told her where he stayed a billion times. Sakura felt numb as they stood facing each other in front of the looming Tomoeda building. It felt as if she had betrayed herself. She had fallen for him.

"Good night," He said simply, turned, and left.

Sakura waited for him to fade away before heading back towards her dorm. She would have to sneak past her dorm mistress. Meiling was probably furious with her but she was strangely unafraid.

To no one's surprise, Meiling's face was livid when Sakura entered the room.

"Where _were _you?"

"Out," Sakura answered and buried herself quickly beneath the covers. She was too tired to give in to Meiling's mood.

"Out _where?_" Meiling hissed, "You were supposed to open the window for me! The senior president saw me in the tree and laughed so hard his face turned purple! I'll be the laughing stock for a week! And you come back and say you were _out? _What kind of - "

"I was out okay! You're not my mother so leave me alone!" Sakura snapped to her own amazement. Meiling was too shocked to say anything.

After a moment of silence she let out a frustrated sigh and a blunt "Fine!" The sound of rustling sheets signaled she had gone to bed.

Sakura inhaled the scent of her pillow. How badly she wanted to relate her story with someone so it wouldn't fade away in the morning like a dream. It was funny how Meiling didn't even question or hesitate with her excuse. It was most likely because Sakura was the last person on earth to lie about something like spending a day with Tomoeda's sweetheart. It pained her that she had no one to tell. But it was unlikely she'd ever forget.

Sakura smiled, it felt as if she had a secret. A secret all to herself.


	2. Girl with Green Eyes

Replies to some reviews that stood out to me

"_Renzieyoung_" yes! I'm so glad you noticed. I was actually inspired by the events in PREP, and I'm glad somebody caught on. Thank you for your support!

"_Dandy Mandy_" I truly enjoyed reading your review because it had criticism as well as compliments. And it was amusing how you described the many clichés that run about fanfiction. I'll try and oust those standards.

"_SD_" wow, what you said really got me because I absolutely had no idea how I was actually going to go about writing how private school work. No, sorry, I don't attend a private school myself but I do know how it feels to want to be alone. I hope more readers can relate to my story like yourself and you are the first out of plenty to tell me something like that, thank you!

"_funkymoleperson_" I know, and I'm so sorry for being like that. I will try harder now, I'm starting to actually keep notes and plan ahead so I don't run in to any more mile thick writer's block again. Thank you so much for your support!

And now, on with the show!

**Love Simply  
www.thisimplicity.deviantart.cm**  
Chapter Two  
_Girl with Green Eyes_

Sakura Kinomoto had always been told how pretty her eyes were long before she could remember. She didn't think much of them but after that Sunday she found herself staring in to emerald pools every morning. Her eyes were a rather strange color. In the sunlight, people had said they turned an orange greenish gray. In the dark they were as dark as the deepest shadow in a forest. Her older brother had once said they reminded him of fungus on an ugly log. That was as close as her brother ever got to a compliment. But now as she stares ahead at her biology teacher, her eyes were simply green.

"Do I have everyone's tests? No? Ah, yes, sorry Takafumi…I'll be right there."

Sakura twirled her pencil between outstretched fingers. _Syaoran. _She started, oh no, she had been thinking about _him _again. It had been barely two weeks and she could not stop thinking about Sunday. Of course she kept the secret dearly to herself; no one would've believed her anyways. It wasn't at all a surprise when he completely ignored her last Monday. She had been expecting it, but it was still…almost heartbreaking.

"Oh!" Sakura watched her pencil clatter to the shiny marble floor. It rolled under her chair out of sight. She bent over to retrieve it but she suddenly found her pencil held in front of her face by a very pale slender hand.

"…thanks" She said quietly and took it by the tip.

"No problem," The girl replied cheerfully. Daidouji Tomoyo, the girl Hiirigizawa wanted to meet. She was the other class president, clearly that meant she was highly popular. Sakura had heard Meiling talk about her almost as much as she talked about Syaoran. Of course Meiling wasn't exactly telling Sakura how gorgeous Tomoyo looked in her uniform; it was a pretty well known fact on campus that Meiling hated Tomoyo. "She thinks she's all that because her mom owns that fashion line, it's not like _my_ family doesn't own a company about twice that size!" Sakura found it hard to believe that such a sweet looking girl could possibly act like she's "all that".

Tomoyo rose up slightly off her seat, Sakura edged away from her, "Sakura…right?"

Sakura hesitated and did a quick mental run through before coming to the conclusion that she was the only 'Sakura' in the class, "…yes?"

"Do you want to be lab partners?"

Sakura was confused, "Huh?"

Tomoyo slipped out of her seat and sat sideways on her table, "Were you listening? We're choosing lab partners right now." She laughed a little, "But I don't exactly blame you, I hardly pay attention myself."

Sakura lifted the corners of her lips for about a second. Tomoyo didn't seem so bad. Sakura didn't understand how Meiling could hate someone like Tomoyo. But knowing Meiling…she could easily grow to hate an angel or a saint. Sakura wondered if there was anyone Meiling liked but that was a stupid question. Who else but Syaoran Li?

"I'm Daidouji Tomoyo, nice to meet you Kinomoto Sakura!"

Sakura took her hand. She was so pale it was as if her skin never even touched light. But that made her all the more beautiful which is probably what sent Meiling screeching and howling.

"Can I call you Sakura?" Tomoyo asked suddenly. Sakura's grip slackened, a burst of confidence had surged through her body when she heard Tomoyo's words. Suddenly Meiling seemed very small and insignificant.

"Yes, only if I can call you Tomoyo," Sakura was grinning.

"Deal!" They shook hands. Tomoyo laughed quietly, "You have a very pretty smile, I don't understand why you don't use it more often."

"Oh…" Sakura stopped smiling.

"See? There, I'm more used to seeing that face."

Sakura didn't understand, "This…face?"

Tomoyo pushed herself from the table and placed herself in the chair in front of Sakura, "You seem like the type of person who doesn't want much attention, but I don't think that's what you really want."

"I don't?" They stared at each other until Tomoyo broke the silence with a kind smile.

"You know what, you kind of remind me of myself a long time ago."

Sakura didn't know what to say, but she couldn't keep her eyes of this girl. This girl just defied everything she had tried to do for the last couple months. She wasn't one bit fooled by her act.

"Actually, I wasn't like this before." Sakura said suddenly. She wasn't even quite sure why she did.

Tomoyo was not one bit phased, "Did you go to a public school?"

"Yes…and I had a lot more friends…people…liked me.' Sakura said quietly, her eyes fixated on the smooth table countertop. She had told herself the same thing a million times at night. She missed her old friends but at the same time she didn't miss them. They were a part of history and now since she was going to Tomoeda she had to adjust to the new surroundings.

"You're lucky." Tomoyo said.

"Me?"

"This is actually my very first school. It's my first time learning with so many people."

Sakura looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"I was home schooled, my mother hired tutors." Tomoyo explained, "In my neighborhood everyone used to pick on me because I was so quiet. All I wanted was to be left alone, I thought I could live my whole life with my mom and that's it. Growing up proved me wrong so my mom decided I should meet new people, people my age."

Sakura couldn't believe something so personal was being shared between them. Daidouji had so many friends it seemed impossible she had come from such an isolated background, "You're doing a very good job then." Sakura commented, disbelief clearly evident in her voice.

Tomoyo laughed, her eyes shut and her cheeks stretched when she laughed. Sakura decided she liked Tomoyo, but it seemed ridiculous someone like Tomoyo would suddenly decide to be friends with someone like Sakura. Hardly anyone knew Sakura, hardly anyone noticed her. Usually people referred to her as –

"The girl with green eyes," Tomoyo said suddenly. Sakura almost jumped out of her seat in shock. Tomoyo was full of surprises.

"Mind reader!" Sakura accused, "I was just about to _think _that."

Tomoyo placed a hand over her heart and looked at the ceiling as if she was congratulating herself, "Just one of my many useful talents!"

They both laughed. A pair nearby turned to stare at them. For once Sakura didn't really care.

"Well, actually, I was just about to say how all my friends used to talk about this girl with green eyes, I became quite curious. So I decided one day I would meet this girl with green eyes and I must say I'm very glad I did."

Somewhere in Sakura's mind was still registering the idea that people had still been talking about here even though she had thought she did a perfect job of staying unnoticed. A voice startled them both.

"Well! I'm very sorry to break up this love fest _but, _I do think the rest of the class is already done with half the experiment, so Kinomoto and Daidouji, I wonder why _your _frog still appears to be in _one _piece hm? Are we confused, ladies? Were my directions unclear?"

"I'm very sorry Miss Itakira, we'll get started right away," Tomoyo said sounding convincingly guilty.

"I see...however Miss Daidouji, as freshmen class president I expected more from you." The professor peered at Tomoyo over her tiny glasses. Sakura simply watched how Tomoyo conversed flawlessly with the older woman. It wasn't a wonder how Tomoyo could easily become a teacher's favorite student. She was so talented in adapting to anyone as easily as water could adapt to bottles of all shapes and sizes.

"Yes Miss Itakira, I'll try my best."

"Very well, continue your work and I'll be back to check on your progress." Miss Itakira walked past Sakura's table and could be heard commenting on how someone had accidentally gone too far with dissecting their frog, "Idiots! A frog's heart is not some kind of joke!"

Tomoyo let out a quick sight of relief, "See what happens when people know you, sometimes I wish I _was_ invisible."

"Well I can help you with that." Sakura whispered and they shared a small laugh.

After an interesting biology period Sakura welcomed the lunch break. Her head needed an outlet for all the things they learned about a frog's limbs. It was amazing how she still had an appetite while most of the class had already emptied their guts in garbage cans as soon as they left the room. Tomoyo had rushed off for a leadership meeting in the school's student body office. Sakura felt oddly misplaced once the girl had left. The cafeteria, as usual, was crowded and packed with hungry teenagers. Sakura slipped inside, being relatively small compared to some of the other junior and senior girls.

"Kiinomotooooo!"

Sakura caught Meiling waving at her from a table not so far away. But that wasn't what had her attention. Her heart thumped twice against her chest. _Syaoran _was sitting there.

Her feet felt strangely like lead as she forced them to move. She walked closer and closer and her heart raced faster and faster. Syaoran wasn't even look at her yet. Sakura gulped and wondered if she looked too nervous. She forced herself to remain calm, leaving no hint on her face that could possibly show she had been anxious. Who was she kidding? She hadn't seen Syaoran up close for two weeks. Of course her palms would start clamming up.

"What's wrong with you, Kinomoto?" Meiling asked when she finally reached the table.

Sakura watched Syaoran glance her way but it passed as quickly as if a feather had brushed her face, "Hello Meiling…" Sakura greeted quietly.

"Sit down! You look like some homeless old man." Meiling scooted about two inches to her left, leaving a tiny space for Sakura to squeeze in.

Sakura sat and immediately felt uncomfortable crammed between Meiling and a girl she barely knew. Syaoran didn't look at her so she stared at her lap and played with her fingers.

"Syao…this is my roommate, Kinomoto Sakura! The one I've been telling you about, didn't you say you wanted to meet her?" Meiling crooned, her hands twirled in the air as she spoke. She didn't waste her breath introducing Sakura to Syaoran not that she knew they had already met not so long ago. Syaoran turned his amber eyes towards Sakura who looked away and blushed. Did she believe her ears? Syaoran had _asked _to meet her?

"Why did you call me here, Meiling?" Syaoran said, his eyes still hovering on Sakura's cast eyes, "You told me you wanted to ask me something."

"Oh of course! How could I forget about that?" Meiling exclaimed, she brushed her long black hair back with one hand, "I was just wondering when your birthday was, you know, so I can maybe get a heads up."

Sakura almost choked on the air she was breathing. Meiling was flat out _lying. _Sakura _knew for a fact _that Meiling had circled Syaoran's birthday on the huge calendar she hung over the bed with at least a gazillion markers and gel pens. She had even decorated the empty spaces with hearts and 'I love you's. Sakura gaped at her roommate who wasn't even sparing her a single glance. Her attention was occupied with Syaoran who was staring at her with a 'that's it?' sign labeled across his face.

"Wait," He said, "You don't know when my birthday is?"

"No, of course not, why else am I asking you for?" Meiling chuckled as if Syaoran had said something funny.

"But Meiling…" Sakura spoke with a tremble in her soft voice, her head was still spinning.

"Yes Sakura? How may I help you?" Meiling snapped.

"Aren't you Syaoran's cousin, so, I mean, shouldn't you _know _when his birthday is?"

Syaoran was staring straight at her. His face was unreadable but in his eyes, Sakura thought she saw a small glimmer of pride almost. Meiling, on the other hand, looked downright furious. Sakura knew she would have to face Meiling's wrath sooner or later. She wished it would be later.

After Meiling and her crew left the table in a storm cloud of bad luck, Sakura was alone with Syaoran who was already getting up from the table.

"That was very brave of you." Syaoran whispered in to her ear as he walked by. His warm breath tickled the side of her cheek and she felt a tremble run up her spine. She suddenly wondered if anyone else had seen it happen, had seen Syaoran Li bend over to whisper something in her ear. She wondered if it might have looked like…perhaps something else from far away. A peck on the cheek maybe. Before she could react he had already disappeared in to the crowd. Sakura looked around her and was disappointed to see that no one appeared to be looking in her direction.

Sakura's stomach growled seconds later. All that drama had made her forget about lunch.

* * *

The halls were nice and cool when Sakura reached her dorm. She let her head rest against the door and she slid a finger down until it lay on top of the handle. Did she really want to walk straight in to the dragon's lair? No. No, she really didn't want to. But unfortunately, her bed was in the dragon's lair and she didn't have a prince charming to rescue her from its wrath. Sakura convinced herself that this hadn't been the first night she hesitated in front of her door. Meiling was always cranky during the evenings, usually when a certain plan had failed to please Syaoran, but Sakura feared today was going to be slightly different from other days. Sakura had crossed a fine line today. Her head began to throb against the freezing flat slab of painted wood. She inhaled deep and pushed down hard against the handle. The door swung open and she saw Meiling's face. Her expression said it all. She was pissed.

"Good evening Mei – "

"SO! So, we're getting smarter are we?" Meiling cut in before even waiting for Sakura to shut the door behind her.

"I didn't mean to, I just thought."

"I don't know _how _you learned we were cousins but _you _just thought how great it'd be to make _me _look like an IDIOT in front of Syaoran didn't you?"

Sakura heard the satisfied click as the door slid in to place and exhaled. Meiling didn't look too good. Sakura wasn't going to sleep in peace tonight.

"Do you even know why I _called _you over in the first place?"

Sakura felt like a small fly caught in a deadly black widow's web. It seemed to fit well because Meiling was wearing her black hair with a long red bow, how ironic. "Because…because Syaoran asked you to?" She replied quietly.

Meiling laughed. Her laugh was a laugh Sakura hated to hear. It was hallowed and empty. There was no warmth behind her laughter; it was just a shell, an echo of laughter. Sakura remembered Syaoran's laugh. She desperately wanted to hear it again and be basked in its kindness once more.

"You actually thought – you actually thought that Syaoran asked you to come over! You're a joke!" Meiling had a wide smile on her face. Sakura was rigid, her shoulders pressed painfully against the door, "I asked you to come over because I was trying to be _nice _for a change! I thought, hey, there's Sakura being a loner, maybe she could eat with us. I was so kind to ask for you to join us at the table. Maybe you could've made friends! I even let you sit close to Syaoran Li, and I even introduced him to you. I do all this for you and you _think _Syaoran asked you over? You're crazy! Syaoran would _never…NEVER _ask someone like you to come over."

"He would never ask someone like you either."

There was a heavy suffocating silence that followed. It was so quiet, Sakura could hear Meiling's slow deadly breaths and the TV in the room next door, "Pardon me? Did I hear you say something?" Meiling hissed quietly and dangerously. Meiling was giving her a chance, a chance to answer "No, nothing at all." It was a rare chance to escape an inevitable hell.

But Sakura was staring at Meiling with matched confidence; she wasn't going to take this chance. Syaoran was far too good for Meiling. Meiling didn't deserve Syaoran. It was a sure thing she, herself would never get Syaoran to notice her but she refused to stand idly by and watch someone as pure as Syaoran be seduced in to Meiling's deceit and lies.

"Excuse me, _Kinomoto. _I'm asking you a question and you'd better answer it."

Sakura was pushing the handle down. Down. Down.

"_Kinomoto, _is there something you'd like to say to my face?" Meiling's face was contorted with anger.

Down. Down. Click. Sakura breathed, "Yes Meiling, I was saying how you'll never get Syaoran to like you. _Never._"

Sakura yanked the door open behind her and stepped calmly outside. Then she promptly shut the door on Meiling's furious face.

Sakura found herself in the hallway once more; the air was nice and cool, just like before. So why was she sweating? Sakura took two deep breaths and what she just did to Meiling finally sunk in. _Oh god…oh god oh god oh god. _She backed away from the door and ran in to the wall behind her. She pressed her body against it, feeling the roughness dig in to her back. Meiling was just beyond the door, probably contemplating whether or not she should burst outside and hunt her down. It could happen any moment. Any moment, Meiling could come out of that door; it was terrifying to think about it. _What was I thinking?_ _I have to go somewhere…I have to get away from here. _

Sakura could not peel herself from the security of the wall behind her. _Please…somewhere where she can't find me. _Slowly she began to move down the hallway. She passed several open doors; nobody seemed to notice her distress nonetheless ask if she was alright. She had no idea where she was going. She had nowhere to go. Who could she go to? The teachers? No, that's just stupid. Syaoran. She could go see Syaoran. _No. no, you absolutely can not. _She passed the cafeteria, her biology class, and several more dorms until she realized she was just going around in one big circle. _Where? Where can I go? Oh god. _

"Hey, Kinomoto! Curfew is in five minutes, you better find your dorm, unless you're lost." Someone laughed.

_Familiar voice. Someone I know. _Sakura turned around and saw Eriol heading down the hallway towards her. Of course, class presidents were in charge of hallway patrol. They made sure students were in bed after curfew.

Eriol frowned when he got close to her, "Are you feeling alright? You're pale."

"I…" Sakura mouthed, what was she supposed to say? She couldn't stay in _his _dorm.

Eriol was still frowning, "You should go to the nurse if you're sick. It's really cold today and you should know we shut down the heater after nine. It's not healthy running around so late, do you want me to escort you to your dorm?"

"No!"

Eriol almost took a step back; he had his hands up, "Okay! Okay! Geez, are you sure you're okay?"

Then it struck her as plain as day. It was so obvious, why hadn't she thought of it before? "Do you know where Tomoyo's dorm is?"

"Wait, Daidouji?" Eriol had suddenly changed the tone of his voice but Sakura was too disarrayed to notice. She just wanted to go somewhere where Meiling couldn't find her until she finished cooling off in the morning.

"Yes, Tomoyo! Please…I need…I need to tell her something!"

"Right now?" Eriol looked skeptical, "Can't it wait till morning? She just went to bed…"

Sakura didn't bother with asking how Eriol knew she had just gone to bed, she was desperate, "Please Eriol…just today…I won't do it again, I promise!"

"A rule's a rule, if I help you, I'll have to start helping everyone else who asks, or it's not fair."

"No, you don't understand. I need to talk to Tomoyo! Just this one time, please!" Sakura must've been making a lot of noise because a door nearby propped open and a boy in Sakura's biology class stuck his head out.

His hair was wet and it looked as if he was wearing nothing but a towel. If Sakura wasn't about to go hysterical she would've blushed ten different shades of red.

"Hey, Hirrigizawa, cut the poor girl some slack will you? In the mean while, some of us are trying to _enjoy _our time to sleep."

"It's a minute after curfew; you better disappear before I report this to the mistress in charge." Eriol replied smugly, one eye checking his watch while he spoke.

"Asshole," The boy laughed and shut the door. The echo seemed to run throughout the entire school. Sakura could hear the lights humming above and then Eriol cleared his throat.

"Second to the last one down this hallway on your right."

Sakura had to do a double take, "What?"

"Room three zero two, now get moving before I report you too!" Eriol sounded dead serious but his face was cracking in a wide grin.

Sakura barely had the energy to thank him properly so instead she gave a very small and messy bow then quickly hurried down the direction of Tomoyo's dorm. She could hardly believe her own luck. She would have to thank that boy with wet hair later too. Takafumi was his name, she noted.

Sakura stood in front of Tomoyo's door and her hand hovered in front of it. Should she knock or just open it? None of the dorms had locks in Tomoeda. The teacher's were enough security to prevent chaos. Sakura decided knocking was better. Tomoyo might be asleep as Eriol had said. She rapped her knuckles against the door and winced when the noise sounded piercingly louder than she had anticipated. She heard shuffling behind it and the sound of soft padded footsteps.

It swung slowly open and Sakura almost sank to the ground with relief at the sight of Tomoyo. She was already in her lavender nightgown but she didn't look as if she had gotten up from bed yet. Her expression was nothing but surprise.

"Sakura!"

"Can I come in?" Sakura asked. She knew she was being blunt, but she supposed this was a sort of emergency. However her adrenaline was dying out from all that walking. It seemed what had just happened was simply part of a bad dream.

Tomoyo opened the door wider and stepped off to one side, "Yes, of course! You look a mess."

Sakura entered the room gratefully and Tomoyo closed the door behind her, "Something happen between you and Meiling?"

"You _are _a mind reader," Sakura said and collapsed on to the floor. She had forgotten all about the possibility of Tomoyo having a roommate and was relieved when she found that Tomoyo had a single dorm.

"No, actually Chiharu told me she heard yelling from your dorm. She said she could even hear it over the TV."

"People _heard _us?"

Tomoyo walked over to one of the walls, she was barefoot. She knocked lightly against the wood and waited patiently. Someone knocked back the same number of times and Tomoyo smiled. "Rika is going to sleep too, you see, the walls here are really thin, thin enough for almost anything to seep through, that's why you can't keep secrets in Tomoeda. It truly gives meaning to the saying 'the walls have ears' Because in reality, they really do!"

Sakura felt a numbing sensation spread from her toes, "I think I'd rather die then face her tomorrow if the entire school knows about it. I never want to go back to that dorm."

Tomoyo spread herself out on the bed and sighed, "Was this about a boy, Sakura?"

"Don't tell me you know about that too…" The green-eyed girl groaned in to her hands. This was horrible. It couldn't be happening to her. Everything had been going great. She hadn't received any trouble since she had made herself so invisible. But why did something like this have to happen? Why did she have to go about and defend a boy she barely knew? Why was she so stupid?

"Nope, just my guess, Chiharu said she didn't know what you guys were arguing about anyways, but I guessed right didn't I?" Tomoyo said. She had a smile on her face.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura asked, "Do you…know something?"

Maybe, maybe Tomoyo had seen her and Syaoran together that Sunday. Maybe she had seen him whisper in to her ear that noon. Maybe…maybe Tomoyo knew. She had to know, or else why would she look as if she was…expecting something.

"I…don't know!" Tomoyo laughed gleefully. Sakura noticed for the first time that her eyes looked much brighter in the dark, "But if you tell me…I might be able to help you."

"Then you have to tell me who you like! That's fair,"

Tomoyo blushed deeply and hid her face in her hands, "That's unfair, I didn't argue over him yet."

"But I didn't argue over him!" Sakura protested causing Tomoyo to fall back in a fit of giggles.

"Knowing Meiling, this _must _be about Li, isn't it?" Tomoyo chuckled as if she found it quite funny but then she stopped laughing when she saw Sakura's gaping face, "Wait…you can't be serious?"

"I can't believe this." Sakura exclaimed and threw her hands in the air, "The whole school probably knows about this!"

"No! That's not true! I just guessed! Wait, you're serious? Syaoran? You like Syaoran! Oh my goodness, you _are _serious!" Tomoyo had jumped off the bed in excitement, "Since when?"

"You _didn't _know? You just _guessed _the whole entire thing?" Sakura was in shock.

Tomoyo suddenly glanced at the clock and started, "Oh shoot, I have to get up early tomorrow for a meeting, I have to sleep early today," Then Tomoyo stuck an accusing finger in Sakura's face, "But don't think I've forgotten about this! You're going to tell me _everything _now since we're roomies."

"Wait, roomies? What?" Sakura could no longer keep up with the current events. Everything was moving too fast.

"I'm requesting a change first thing tomorrow morning!" Tomoyo said while pulling out a folded up mattress from the wall, "For today, you can sleep here, until I can find a proper bed for you."

Sakura was still in shock, "You…wouldn't mind?"

"Mind? I'd love if you room with me! Besides, this is just getting interesting! And you call yourself plain, for all I know, you have a far more exciting life than mine," Tomoyo was halfway under her covers now, "And now since we're going to be roommates, you'll get to share it with me, and I'll share mine with you!"

"But…it's so sudden…"

Tomoyo had a hand on the light switch, "I like surprises, do you?"

_Yes, I love surprises. _Sakura meant to say but Tomoyo had already called goodnight and her side of the room was immersed in darkness. As Sakura sat at the foot of the bed, surrounded by four unfamiliar walls, Sakura felt an odd feeling. It felt…good. It felt as if she belonged somewhere. She didn't have to go to bed after enduring Meiling's wrath anymore. She didn't have to stay up late waiting for Meiling to sneak inside anymore. No more Meiling. No more troubles. Sakura smiled. Her green eyes must've looked ten times brighter than normal. She had a friend, her name was Tomoyo, and she had met her that very morning. _Yes, I do love surprises. _Sakura thought to herself and let the dim lighted room engulf her in this new sensation of belonging.

Then she suddenly realized something.

Sakura got to her feet and faced Tomoyo's bed, "Hey, wait a minute, you didn't tell me who _you _liked!"


End file.
